about maths: strictly speaking, off topic, but justified.
in [Physics]
|
Prev: doubts about tetrahedral packing in 3D is a solid packing #516 Correcting Math
Next: JSH:Twin primes probability correlation
From: jmfbahciv on 19 Mar 2010 09:36 J. Clarke wrote: > On 3/18/2010 12:29 PM, rabid_fan wrote: >> On Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:56:15 -0500, jmfbahciv wrote: >> >>> >>> Damn! another possibly interesting thread down the drain. Rabidity is >>> simply another kooker. >>> >> >> I do not approve of your comity or comportment. If the world was not >> the effete and hyper-civilized bastion of pansies that it has become, >> I would resume the ancient tradition and challenge you to a duel: >> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel >> >> But it would be no contest. I would mercilessly beat you into a >> broken and bloody mess and leave your quivering entrails lying in >> the dirt as a feast for the ravens and crows. >> >> Fortunately for you, Usenet keeps us all physically well separated. >> Otherwise, my fists would have already rearranged your face and >> given you a brand new dental profile. > > Pathetic. Just pathetic. > > <plonk> he can't answer the question so he threatens violence rather than think about it. /BAH
From: jmfbahciv on 19 Mar 2010 09:38 Ste wrote: > On 18 Mar, 21:58, Urion <blackman_...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> On Mar 18, 11:05 pm, Ste <ste_ro...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>> A point I would make however is that mathematics, like traditional >>> language, has no inherent meaning, and its meaning is learned in >>> exactly the same way as traditional language, of using our senses to >>> make meaningful connections between language and concrete reality. >> Mathematics is a formal language and also an art. Currently it is the >> only way we have to describe the material universe using our cognitive >> faculties. This means that we cannot know anything about the universe >> beyond our biological senses. >> >> But I do agree with you that mathematics is not the real thing because >> it only uses a paper and a pencil. But currently it's all we have. > > I think everyone agrees that language "is all we have" to describe the > universe - not least because the verb "describe" strongly implies the > use of language. > I do not agree. Maps are not a language. So, answer the question: what are the verbs in math? /BAH
From: Ste on 20 Mar 2010 04:52 On 19 Mar, 13:38, jmfbahciv <jmfbahciv(a)aol> wrote: > Ste wrote: > > On 18 Mar, 21:58, Urion <blackman_...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >> On Mar 18, 11:05 pm, Ste <ste_ro...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > > >>> A point I would make however is that mathematics, like traditional > >>> language, has no inherent meaning, and its meaning is learned in > >>> exactly the same way as traditional language, of using our senses to > >>> make meaningful connections between language and concrete reality. > >> Mathematics is a formal language and also an art. Currently it is the > >> only way we have to describe the material universe using our cognitive > >> faculties. This means that we cannot know anything about the universe > >> beyond our biological senses. > > >> But I do agree with you that mathematics is not the real thing because > >> it only uses a paper and a pencil. But currently it's all we have. > > > I think everyone agrees that language "is all we have" to describe the > > universe - not least because the verb "describe" strongly implies the > > use of language. > > I do not agree. Maps are not a language. I think we'd need to be more specific about what we mean by "language" - I'm using it very generally, perhaps in the sense of "something that conveys meaning via abstract impressions on the senses". > So, answer the question: > what are the verbs in math? What do you mean by verbs? Clearly maths can be used to describe action/change.
From: jmfbahciv on 20 Mar 2010 09:01 Ste wrote: > On 19 Mar, 13:38, jmfbahciv <jmfbahciv(a)aol> wrote: >> Ste wrote: >>> On 18 Mar, 21:58, Urion <blackman_...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>>> On Mar 18, 11:05 pm, Ste <ste_ro...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >>>>> A point I would make however is that mathematics, like traditional >>>>> language, has no inherent meaning, and its meaning is learned in >>>>> exactly the same way as traditional language, of using our senses to >>>>> make meaningful connections between language and concrete reality. >>>> Mathematics is a formal language and also an art. Currently it is the >>>> only way we have to describe the material universe using our cognitive >>>> faculties. This means that we cannot know anything about the universe >>>> beyond our biological senses. >>>> But I do agree with you that mathematics is not the real thing because >>>> it only uses a paper and a pencil. But currently it's all we have. >>> I think everyone agrees that language "is all we have" to describe the >>> universe - not least because the verb "describe" strongly implies the >>> use of language. >> I do not agree. Maps are not a language. > > I think we'd need to be more specific about what we mean by "language" > - I'm using it very generally, perhaps in the sense of "something that > conveys meaning via abstract impressions on the senses". What senses? Math doesn't have anything to do with senses. I know you are using the word language sloppily. So is the other guy. Only the other guy is further confused by the use of the word in the computer biz; I don't know if you're doing the same. > > > >> So, answer the question: >> what are the verbs in math? > > What do you mean by verbs? Clearly maths can be used to describe > action/change. Now answer the question. What are the verbs in math? Pick any branch of mathematics and list the verbs. /BAH
From: Ste on 20 Mar 2010 09:52
On 20 Mar, 13:01, jmfbahciv <jmfbahciv(a)aol> wrote: > Ste wrote: > > On 19 Mar, 13:38, jmfbahciv <jmfbahciv(a)aol> wrote: > >> Ste wrote: > >>> On 18 Mar, 21:58, Urion <blackman_...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >>>> On Mar 18, 11:05 pm, Ste <ste_ro...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > >>>>> A point I would make however is that mathematics, like traditional > >>>>> language, has no inherent meaning, and its meaning is learned in > >>>>> exactly the same way as traditional language, of using our senses to > >>>>> make meaningful connections between language and concrete reality. > >>>> Mathematics is a formal language and also an art. Currently it is the > >>>> only way we have to describe the material universe using our cognitive > >>>> faculties. This means that we cannot know anything about the universe > >>>> beyond our biological senses. > >>>> But I do agree with you that mathematics is not the real thing because > >>>> it only uses a paper and a pencil. But currently it's all we have. > >>> I think everyone agrees that language "is all we have" to describe the > >>> universe - not least because the verb "describe" strongly implies the > >>> use of language. > >> I do not agree. Maps are not a language. > > > I think we'd need to be more specific about what we mean by "language" > > - I'm using it very generally, perhaps in the sense of "something that > > conveys meaning via abstract impressions on the senses". > > What senses? Math doesn't have anything to do with senses. It concerns the real world, and hence has everything to do with the senses. > I know > you are using the word language sloppily. So is the other guy. > Only the other guy is further confused by the use of the word > in the computer biz; I don't know if you're doing the same. I'm not "confused" by the word. I've stated that I'm using it loosely, and I've asked you to clarify your questions. > >> So, answer the question: > >> what are the verbs in math? > > > What do you mean by verbs? Clearly maths can be used to describe > > action/change. > > Now answer the question. What are the verbs in math? Pick > any branch of mathematics and list the verbs. I'm not refusing to answer the question! You've only asked me once, and I'm asking you to clarify what you mean by "verbs". Also if you asked me "what are the nouns" or "what are the adjectives", "which is the nominative case", etc, I'd still be asking you to clarify what you meant, because these terms don't tend to be used in maths - but you do have "variables", etc. |